HC Kevin Stefanski (11.22.23)
Opening statement:
“Okay. Excited about this week. Great challenge on the road versus a good football team. Winners of four straight. They’re playing very well, period. They’re also playing really well at home. It’s a tough place to play. It’s loud. So we have to be about our business, obviously. Well coached, good players. But the story with their four-game winning streak is the turnover margin. They’re doing a great job of getting the football, I think 13 maybe in the last five games, takeaways, which is incredible. So you have to take care of the ball and then they’re doing a nice job of taking care of the ball. They’re winning that turnover margin. We know how important that is to winning and losing. So huge challenge for us, AFC opponent on the road. So we have to have a great week of practice. And with that, I’ll take any questions.”
You mentioned how tough it is to play there. With Dorian (Thompson-Robinson), how much of a challenge is that? His first road start in the NFL. Do you think you learn anything from how you guys handled that Seattle situation?
“I think we do lean on that Seattle week. When you go into these buildings and stadiums that are that loud, there are certain things that you have to do offensively to communicate and that’s communicating in the huddle at the line of scrimmage (and) on the sideline. So Dorian obviously was a big part of that and experienced that. But yeah, it’s a tough place to play and the crowd noise is a big part of that.”
Kevin, four months later did the Greenbrier work? Did you get the intended results out of mean?
“I don’t know. I think for me, I can barely remember it. Where were we? (joking)”
We’ve had guys bring it up in other questions. So someone brought it up to you, like they thought it worked.
“Worked from which perspective?”
Not operationally, comradery chemistry…
“Yeah, I think when we talked about it, part of that is wherever you go and you’re under one roof, it’s very organic to come together and hang out. You know my experience at the Vikings all those years went away to Mankato, which was an hour away and you were under one roof. Gage Hall was a dormitory, no longer standing. But I just think there was a shared group of guys in one place. So I think from that perspective, it’s a way of getting guys to hang out with each other when it’s hard to do when you’re jumping in the car and you’re heading home after practice.”
What are your first impressions of Joe Flacco?
“Joe’s done a great job, he and I have a lot of mutual people in this business that we know. I have not worked with Joe previously, but he has been in a lot of systems. So somebody that I can talk to about different systems, different coaches, things he’s called, things in the past. So a wealth of knowledge and a great resource for not just the quarterback room but this entire team.”
He said he doesn’t feel the need to necessarily put Dorian at ease in knowing that he’s Super Bowl winning quarterback….have you had conversations with him though about what his role is and how he’s going to kind of blend in here?
“He’s a pro, he just has to be a great teammate and that’s what he’s done. And part of being a great teammate is showing up and doing your job. Think about all the guys we’ve had over the years, veterans that provide great leadership without having to say much. We have guys on our roster now that do that. So Joe’s just going to be himself in his own unique and authentic way and help this football team by the way he prepares.”
Do you know who your number two quarterback in Denver is gonna be?
“We’ll worry about all the roster stuff throughout the weeks, but no.”
Kevin, did you observe the little workout with Flacco?
“Yes.”
What did you think of his mobility at age 38?
“Look better than you (Tony Grossi) at 38.”
Kevin, you were obviously complimentary on what Denver has done in these last couple of weeks. First four weeks of the season, they lost three games, one by one point and now if you look at that four game win streak, they won three of their last four games by one or two points. Turnovers is obviously part of that, but are you noticing that they’re doing something differently that’s kind of trying to flip those ones, tight games?
“There’s always little nuances to scheme that you adjust as the season goes on and you come into a season thinking you’re going to be doing one thing and you oftentimes adjust based on what’s in front of you and how you’re doing. So there’s certainly things that they’re adjusting from a schematic standpoint. But I can’t overstate how important that turnover margin is when you’re talking about winning and losing.”
It’s natural for a young player when you bring in someone as accomplished as Joe to kind of wonder what it means for them. So what was your message to Dorian this week with Joe coming in?
“Yeah, honestly, Dorian needs to focus on his job. That’s what he’s done his whole time he’s been here. He’s done a great job. We had a spot in the room, we had to add a quarterback. I think we added a guy with great experience who fits in really well in that room. But as far as it relates to Dorian’s preparation, nothing changes.”
We don’t get to talk to Jim Schwartz tomorrow, but as great as the defense play, the one Achilles seems to be that small shifting third down back like Keaton Mitchell and last week (Jaylen) Warren. They’ve got some guys in Denver. Is there a focal point to try to slow that guy down?
“Well, those are good players that you just mentioned, Fred (Greetham). So you’re going to play in these games where there’s going to be some, whether they’re big and physical or small and physical, you got to find ways to get them on the ground. There’s definitely plays that we can fit better, that we can tackle better. That will never change. We’re always trying to play sound defense, certainly sound run defense takes all eleven guys doing their job, being where they’re supposed to be, and then ultimately just getting the player on the ground.”
Did Joe’s victory over you guys in week two last year with the (New York) Jets give you kind of the knowledge or the vibe that he still has plenty left in the tank?
“Well, I think with Joe, that’s just one game. I think he has plenty of games that you can evaluate over his career. Again, brought him in for a workout to see physically how he looked, but I think it’s a total evaluation of his whole career, really.”
What did you think of how that tackle rotation worked with (James) Hudson and Dawand (Jones) and is that something you want to keep doing or was that something you did just out of necessity with Dawand coming back?
“Yeah, we’ll see really, as we move forward, see how Dawand continues to respond coming off that injury. But we’ll always use our players in spots where we feel like they’re best.”
Deshaun (Watson) comes in here with that reputation and players gravitate to him, like immediately. So how have you seen that relationship with the players and Dorian growing?
“Yeah, Dorian’s a rookie, he’s a young player, he’s first things first, do your job. And I think he’s doing that, and I think veterans respect when you’re a young player and you work at your craft. So that’s something that I’ve seen from Dorian, really, from day one. He works very hard at his job and I think he’s getting even better at working at his job and his teammates see him prepare. But as the starting quarterback, when you’re out there, you’re leading the football team, you’re leading the offense, it’s just how it goes with the territory and it’s something that Dorian’s very comfortable doing. He’s done it his whole life.”
Kevin, Denzel (Ward) and Grant (Delpit) are on that pre practice report. Is there concern that they won’t be ready for something?
“We’ll see. It’s Wednesday.
AWalk (Anthony Walker Jr.), is he candidate for IR?
“No.”
Thoughts on Russell Wilson and just how well he’s been playing, especially in this four game stretch.
“Yeah, Russell’s playing great. I’ve seen him play quite a bit over my career and just watching him. I was fortunate enough to be part of the coaching staff down there at the Senior Bowl when he was coming out. So I got to know Russell for that week and just was an unbelievable person, unbelievable player. I think he’s playing at a high level, like I mentioned, taking care of the football, running their offense really well, and is very capable of making those off schedule plays that he’s made his whole career. You’ve seen him do it in these games. He gets out of the pocket, and he can run, he can throw it to all areas of the field. So he’s a major point of this offense.”
Does Flacco’s exposure to (Gary) Kubiak in Baltimore make it a little easier for him as he transitions to this offense?
“I think that helps. Some of the stuff he did with Coach (Mike) LaFleur at the Jets as well – in Denver was with Rich Scangarello, so he’s been in similar systems. So when you’re a quarterback like Joe and you’ve been in a bunch of systems, you’re pretty good at picking these playbooks up quickly. So he’s working hard at that.”
When it comes to road games, you use the crowd noise of practice to get guys ready, so how do you get them ready for being at Mile High?
“Yeah, I think that’s all part – every team that goes into their building talks about that. There are things that you can do during the week to prepare yourself, there’s things that you can do during the game to prepare yourself, but we also have guys that have played there both as a visitor and played there as being a Bronco, so we have insight into that as well.”
What kind of instant cred do you have in the locker room and in the meetings and out on the field when you’re a former Super Bowl MVP and these guys know you’ve been there and done know?
“I don’t know that the players look at it that way, Mary Kay (Cabot). I think they know a guy that’s joining our team as a teammate is going to do whatever he’s asked to do in the meeting rooms, on the practice field, you name it. Joe really just goes about his business.”
I know it’s only been a couple of days, but have you seen Dorian start to pick Joe’s brain at all and just about his experience in the league?
“I think all those conversations happen really in every meeting. I sit in there in the quarterback meetings this morning and throughout this week. You talk a lot about what you see on film and your different experiences. So I think between Joe and P.J. (Walker) with AVP (Alex Van Pelt), I think there’s a lot of experienced people in there that can help a young player.”
How has Sean Payton tweaked that offense over the course of this season? How are they different from where they were even maybe four or five weeks ago?
“Yeah, they’re explosive. They have explosive playmakers on the perimeter from their backfield. Talked about Russell as the quarterback. I mean, they can be super explosive, and I think the thing you’re seeing recently is just how well they’re taking care of the ball, which complements how their defense is playing as well.”
Back to Dorian’s leadership, the guys before the game said that they were impressed with him kind of correcting them and knowing what to do, and then we saw that on that last two minutes, him pick Kareem (Hunt) up and put him in place. Has he impressed you with his ability to not only understand the playbook, but to be able to get his team rallied around it and show them what they need to do?
“Well, I think that’s the quarterback’s job, Cam (Justice). Regardless of how many years you’re in this thing, that’s your job to direct traffic, to operate, to get people lined up, those type of things. So that’s why he works so hard and young quarterbacks have to work so hard at knowing their job so they can help everybody else do their job.”
Steelers pass rush had a lot to do with how the game was called last week, but the more Dorian’s out there plays, do you feel like he can expand play calls and game plan?
“Yeah, I think every game plan is different. Every game plan is based on what you’re doing, what the defense is doing, what they’re taking away, those type of things. So I think you have to be ready going into every week of figuring out, based on matchups, what you want to do.”
Kevin, pretty much the teams that are playing best are the ones that have had their opening day, starting quarterback successfully, stay healthy. You guys are the exception to that and you found ways to win games despite validity in that group. What is it about the culture you’ve created at quarterback that has allowed for you guys to stay successful despite having several different guys play?
“I don’t we just look at it as we have a job to do, regardless of who’s playing any of our positions. This is how it works in the NFL. Guys are in and out of your lineup, and we just know that we have a job to do.”
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